Out to the ledges

Offshore patterns likely to dominate final day of AFS competition on Kentucky Lake

GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. – The mood was a relaxed one on the final morning of the American Fishing Series event on Kentucky Lake, but then that’s often the case the final morning of a tournament. Randy Haynes of Counce, Tenn., who is currently in second place, was eating breakfast in his boat. “You’re welcome to take pictures of any of those baits on my deck there,” he said. “There aren’t many secrets right now on this lake.” Noticeable on Haynes’ deck were several crankbaits – including some divers but also a square-billed bait for shallow water – and a football-head jig. Haynes has gotten to this point primarily by fishing offshore. Though he’s within striking range of pro leader Curt McGuire, he does have a near 7-pound handicap to overcome.

McGuire and his partner, James Keller, the co-angler leader for each of the first two days, also had a variety of crankbaits on deck. “I tried to convince Randy to just put one hook on his crankbait,” McGuire said with a chuckle. “I’m fishing a similar `Pickwick’ pattern.”

McGuire, who often fishes Tennessee waters, was gearing up for a long run. “We’ve probably got 45 miles to our first stop,” he said. “And then after that, we’ll be hitting a lot of different stuff. I’ve never been the type to just camp out on a single area; I run from place to place all day. I’ve found fish in this tournament in areas stretching from Kenlake all the way down to New Johnsonville.

“I am a little concerned about the wind today-it’s been blowing out of the west or southeast for a week,” he continued. “It came out of the northeast yesterday, but I was through by 9 a.m., before it really started blowing. But today I may have to position the boat differently on my areas to deal with it, and fish may set up on different sides of the structure I’m fishing. We’ll just have to see.”

The lake is still falling rapidly, and that current generation has definitely helped pros relying on offshore patterns. Currently, the lake level is 362.5-that’s three feet lower than it was on day one of the tournament. The TVA projection shows the lake to be just above normal summer pool by Monday. Though many anglers were fishing flooded bushes with spinnerbaits and flipping in flooded trees earlier in the event, those patterns are definitely fading with the falling water and bass transitioning to their postspawn haunts offshore.

Logistics

Today’s final weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m. at Country Chevrolet in Benton, Ky. Weigh-ins are free and open to the public.

Saturday’s Conditions:

Sunrise: 5:45 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 66 degrees

Water temperature: 68 degrees

Wind: NNE at 8-10 mph

Day’s outlook: partly cloudy, warm, chance of thunderstorms this afternoon